Olympian Evan Whitfield Named Top 40 Under 40 by National Trial Lawyers

Roscoe Village Resident resident and local attorney recognized as a top young lawyer in Illinois

Evan Whitfield, an attorney at Schiller DuCanto & Fleck LLP in Chicago, was recently named to The National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40. Whitfield joins an elite group of attorneys from Illinois as a new member of this professional organization comprised of America’s top young trial attorneys who exemplify superior qualifications, trial results and leadership as a young trial lawyer.

As part of Schiller DuCanto & Fleck’s Sports and Entertainment Group, Whitfield practices family law with a strong focus on the complex financial and custody matters facing professional athletes and entertainers. Whitfield, an Olympian and former professional soccer player, blends his unique background and understanding of professional sports with his knowledge of family law to serve his elite clientele.

“Athletes are surrounded by people who take care of every aspect of their sporting career but during my own career I witnessed the lack of support in their personal matters. I realized there is a need throughout the industry for someone who can provide family law counsel for people who are in a unique personal and financial situation. It is a niche community and we work hard to help fill this void,” said Whitfield.

Whitfield represents former and current players from all four major professional sports leagues. He has also served as family law counsel for several broadcasters, disc jockeys and others in the entertainment industries.

Originally from Glendale, Ariz., Whitfield played NCAA Division 1 soccer for Duke University where he earned his bachelor’s degree. After graduation, he went on to play internationally for K.A.A. Gent in Belgium. Whitfield first came to Chicago in 1999 when he began playing for the Chicago Fire Soccer Club.

During his five seasons with the Fire, Whitfield was also a U.S. Olympic soccer player, winning a Bronze medal in the 1999 Pan Am Games and placing fourth in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Whitfield left Chicago to play one season with Real Salt Lake before retiring in 2005.

He was a player representative for both the Chicago Fire and Real Salt Lake and served as an Executive Board Member for Major League Soccer Players’ Union (MLSPU). In this role, he assisted in the day-to-day governance of the union and helped negotiate the players’ first ever MLS Collective Bargaining Agreement in 2004. He credits this experience as a major inspiration to practice law.

Whitfield earned a master’s in organizational management from University of Phoenix while playing professionally. He then went on to earn his law degree from DePaul University with an emphasis in family law and began working for Schiller DuCanto & Fleck while still in school.

Whitfield, 36, lives in Chicago’s Roscoe Village with his wife, Becky. When he is not working, he is actively involved in the local sports community. He was a broadcast announcer for his former team, the Chicago Fire, for the 2011 and 2012 seasons and he serves as member of the Midwest Olympic Committee.

Whitfield is active in community organizations and nonprofits. He is the emcee for an upcoming fundraising gala benefiting YWCA Lake County, which serves 30,000 underserved, uninsured and low-income women, children and families annually. Whitfield also volunteers for the American Bar Association’s Military Pro Bono Project, providing pro bono legal assistance to active and retired service men and women and their families.

About Schiller DuCanto & Fleck LLP 

Schiller DuCanto & Fleck LLP is the largest law firm in the country focusing exclusively on family law. Internationally recognized in the field of family law, its 44 lawyers have more than 700 years of combined experience and have been named as outstanding attorneys in peer ratings and publications including The Best Lawyers in America, Illinois Super Lawyers, and the Leading Lawyers Network. With three offices in the Chicagoland area, the firm’s large size is unique among family law firms.  Using a team approach, the firm’s attorneys concentrate on particular practice areas within family and matrimonial law.  Schiller DuCanto & Fleck’s talented lawyers have served the profession in many capacities including former Chief Judges of county Domestic Relations Divisions, former Justices of the Appellate Court and Judges of the Illinois Circuit Court. Its attorneys are on the faculties of several Chicago law schools and authors of numerous articles in state and national publications. 

Schiller DuCanto & Fleck’s mission is to work with clients to solve problems and achieve the best possible result, providing a wide range of services tailored to its clients’ unique needs. As part of their commitment to the local community, the firm’s lawyers give a minimum of 40 hours a year to pro bono activities. In addition, DePaul University College of Law recognized Schiller DuCanto & Fleck by naming its family law center in honor of the firm. The Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center is the largest center in the nation at an accredited law school focused on teaching students family law. For more information about Schiller DuCanto & Fleck LLP visit www.sdflaw.com